Antiair pollution internal combustion engine



ANTIAIR POLLUTION INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 24, 1967 C. F.HIGH July 15, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR CARL E HIGH ATTORNEYS July15, 1969 3,455,284

ANTIAIR POLLUTION INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 24, 1967 C. F.HIGH 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H mm mH WE L R A C ATTORNEYS July 15, 1969 c. F.HIGH 3,455,28

ANTIAIR POLLUTION INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 24, 1967 4Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Y CARL F. HIGH C. F. HIGH July 15., 1969 ANTIAIR POLLUTIONINTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 24, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Illll"""i CARL F. HIGH -7 ,5 f %Mu ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,455,284 ANTIAIR POLLUTION INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Carl F. High,17581 Appoline, Detroit, Mich. 48227 Continuation-impart of applicationSer. No. 487,221, Sept. 14, 1965. This application Aug. 24, 1967, Ser.No. 662,937

Int. Cl. F02b 33/00; F02f 9/00 US. Cl. 123119 23 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE An internal combustion engine crank case purging systemhaving means for providing air to the crank case in proportion to enginespeed as related to air intake to the cylinders and a vent from thecrankcase to the engine air intake through a special tortuous passagewhich will not significantly interfere with the passage of blowby gasesbut which has large surface areas capable of or treated in such a manneras to cause adhesion of solids carried by blowby fumes.

Related applications Background of the invention Field of theinvention-Crankcase fumes, which are a prime cause of air pollution, areto an extent the end product of partially burned, or cracked, fuel andair which is heated and forced past the piston rings by the explosionswithin the combustion chamber. The removal of these fumes from thecrankcase is vital to prevent the corrosion of parts and thedeterioration of the lubricating oil of the engine. Various methods havebeen devised heretofore to remove the fumes. However, in an appraisal ofventing systems, which date back many years, it is found that theyeither had insufficient venting ability at low speeds or that theyprovided too much ventilation at high speeds. Until quite recently,crankcase fumes were emitted directly into the atmosphere; this practiceis now being discontinued. In more recent designs of crankcaseventilating systems, where the fumes are returned to the intake manifoldto be burned by the new fuel-air charge, troubles are encountered by thegum and varnish-forming material rendering inoperative the movablecontrol valves. More recent crankcase ventilating systems appear to betemporary expedients with external hose lines from the crankcase. Fumesladen with gums and solid particles as drawn through the hose line fromthe crankcase, are also inclined to clog filters and to deposit on andchange the air flow and fuel metering characteristics of the carburetorventuris.

Crankcase fumes have been found to contain the following harmfulmaterials, namely: (1) Water, (2) carbon, (3) gasoline, (4) leaddecomposition products, (5) sulphur products (acid forming), (6) resins,and (7) silica. Of these seven different materials, water containingsulphur, and gasoline, are readily burnable with the new charge in thecylinders. It is the solids, e.g., carbon, decomposed lead, resins andsilica which should be removed before they are returned to the engineintake.

Summary of the invention In the present invention I provide an adhesionsurface unit with a tortuous passage causing many changes of directionof flow, with the surfaces either treated or coated or otherwise madeattractive for adhesion of solid deposits thereon, providing a majorcontribution to crankcase ventilation. Crankcase ventilation is furtherenhanced by thoroughly purging the crankcase with air in proportion toengine speed and load; or even increasing the ratio of purging as thespeed and load increases. This feature is provided for by a ram-airscoop at the entrance of the air intake of the engine. Thus as theengine inducts more air, more air is scooped from upstream of theventuri, or from any other logical location in the air passage of theengine, to pressurize the crankcase. The ventilating is also increasedby increased suction on this air at the outlet of the venturi. Furthermodifications of the invention include means for reducing the otherwisehigh suction applied to the passage leading from the crankcase when thethrottle valve approaches its closed position as in idling or low powerconditions of the engine.

A primary object of the present invention is to eliminate deficienciesin crankcase ventilating systems by providing air to the crankcasesubstantially proportionate to the engine speed as related to air intaketo the cylinders.

Another object of the invention is to control residue deposits in acrankcase ventilating system by providing a removable device having aspecial tortuous passage and provided with multiple adhesion enhancingsurfaces.

A further object of the invention is to improve anti-air pollutionaspects of crankcase ventilating systems by pro viding integral with theengine a ram-like intake purging unit operable to control removal offumes from various engine areas.

Description of the drawings These and other objects of the invention'will become apparent from the following description and theaccompanying drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of theinvention in which like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view of an internal combustion enginewith the air inlet unit removed for clarity;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially onthe line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of an air intake unit of the internalcombustion engine of FIGURE 1 with the air cleaner and cover memberremoved for clarity;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 ofFIGURE 3 and including a portion of the air intake manifold of theengine;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially on the line 6-6of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially onthe line 77 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of an air intake unit similar to FIGURE 3but illustrating another modification of the invention;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 9--9of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially onthe line 10-10 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a carburetor andventilation system components illustrating a further embodiment of theinvention; and

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially onthe line 1212 of FIGURE 11.

Description of the preferred embodiments An internal combustion engineis shown as comprising a crankcase structure 12, on top of which ismounted an air intake manifold structure 14. Cylinder head structures 16are connected to the manifold structure 14, and have port runners 18,through which extend passages 20 for push rods 22 for the operation ofrocker arms 24 actuating the valves 26 of the engine. The rocker arms 24are contained within rocker box covers or housing 28.

An air intake-crankcase breather assembly 30 is mounted on top of theair intake manifold structure 14, as are fuel spray jet assemblies 32arranged to inject fuel into the port runners 18. An air cleanerassembly 34, mostly omitted for clarity, is mounted on top of theassembly 30, and is preferably arranged to receive ram air for deliveryinto the assembly 30.

The assembly 30 has a substantially central air intake passage 36provided with a venturi 38 at its upper end, as shown in FIGURES 3 and4. Adjacent the venturi and at a point of high velocity of air enteringthe venturi, is located a scoop type inlet opening 40 for delivery ofram air through port 41A and port 41 into a substantially verticalpassage 42 leading downward through the assembly 30 and connecting withachamber 44 in the air intake manifold structure 14. Some air thenpasses through a port 46 into the crankcase 12.

Most of the air passes into another chamber 64 provided in the intakemanifold structure 14 and openly connected with the chamber 44, todeliver air into a passage 66 in the assembly 30. Pipes 68 are connectedwith the chamber 64, and deliver the air to the rocker box housings 28,the air then passing downwardly through the push-rod passages 20 intothe crankcase, for the purpose of ventilating the area of the rockerarms and valves 26, preventing crankcase fumes and the blowby gases fromdepositing gum and residue on these parts.

It will be apparent that at higher engine speeds, a greater amount ofair is being delivered to the engine; consequently air velocity at thescoop opening 40 will be higher, thus delivering more air to the rockerbox housings and crankcase for purging of crankcase blowby fumes. Thesefumes will rise through ports 48 into a second chamber 50 in the intakemanifold structure 14 and then into a second vertical passage 52 in theassembly 30. The passage 52 is openly connected through ports 53 and 53Awith the air intake passage 36 of the assembly 30 through an annularport 54 located at a point of low atmospheric pressure just downstreamof the venturi 38. As will be apparent there is thus provided adifferential in pressure between the inlet opening 40 subjected tohigher than atmospheric pressure and the port 54 subjected to lower thanatmospheric pressure, causing the crankcase to be positively ventilated,and the fumes to be carried downwardly through the air intake passage 36into the air intake manifold passage 56 for delivery to the enginecylinders where, with the fuel air mixture, the fumes will be burned. Asseen in FIGURES 1 and 2 a third set of ports 58 is provided between thecrankcase 12 and the air intake manifold structure 14 to vent fumesbetween baffles 97 and through ports 97A into a chamber 60 in the intakemanifold structure 14, and then into a passage 62 provided in the fuelspray jet assembly 32. The assembly 32 is an air aspirator type of fuelspray jet, but instead of air, the fumes from the crankcase are used foraspiration, which occurs at idling and low engine speeds for the purposeof preventing suction from being applied to the fuel jet and to help inatomization.

The passages 42 and 52 as seen in FIGURES 4, S and 6 are provided withsubstantially similar baflie assemblies 68 and 70 arranged as shownaround cores 72 and 74 to form direction changing, somewhat helicalpassage 76 and 78. The lower ends of the baffle assemblies 68 and 70extend downwardly into the chambers 44 and 50 of the manifold structures14, as shown in FIGURE 4, and are provided in this area with elongatedfins 80 and 82 to provide pluralities of substantially or relativelynarrow passages having rather large wall surface areas. The lower endsof the baffle assemblies 68 and 70 are provided with laterally extendingflanges 84 and 86 arranged to overlie but be spaced from the ports 46and 48 leading into and from the crankcase. These flanges 84 and 86 arefor oil separation and can be of other shapes or form.

At the upper end of the assembly 30, the passages 42 and 52 open into acover structure 88 which has chambers 90 and 92 provided with baflies88A and 88B ported respectively through the ports 41A and 54 into theinlet opening 40 and the port 54. When the air cleaner assembly 34 hasbeen removed, the cover structure 88 may be removed by taking out screws94 and the baffle assemblies 68 and 70 can then be withdrawn readilyfrom their respective passages 42 and 52 for cleaning.

The chamber 60 in the manifold structure 14 is provided with thepreviously mentioned plurality of baflie elements 97, providing aplurality of relatively small passages having extensive wall surfaceareas and open through the ports 97A to an upper portion of the chamber60. The extensive wall surface areas of the bafile assemblies 68 and 70and the baffle elements 97 also have a chilling effect to act as flamearresters, protecting the crankcase from the possible effects ofbackfire.

In operation, ram air is forced through the venturi 38 down through theair intake passage 36 into the air intake manifold for delivery throughthe port runners 18 to the engine cylinders. The ram air also will beforced through the inlet opening 40 into the chamber 90, down throughthe somewhat helical passage provided by the baflie assembly 68extending through the vertical passage 42, into the chamber 44 of theintake manifold of the structure 14. A small part of the air passesaround the flange 84, through the ports 46, and thence into thecrankcase proper. The major portion of the air from the chamber 44 willexit through the side chamber 64 into the passage 66 and the pipes 67through the rocker box housings 28, then down through the push rodpassages 20 into the crankcase proper. Fumes and blowby gases in thecrankcase will be forced outwardly through the ports 48 into the chamber50 of the manifold structure passing around the flange 86, upwardlythrough the narrow passages formed by the fins 82 and thence through thesomewhat helical passage which is formed by the baffle assembly 70disposed in the passage 52, then into the chamber 92 of the coverstructure 88 and outwardly through the annular port '54 into the lowpressure area below the venturi. The fins 82 are, as noted before,formed with large surface areas which act to cause oil which may havebeen expelled from the crankcase to adhere thereto and/or to dripdownwardly and find their way back to the crankcase. The somewhathelical portion of the baffle assemblies 68 and 70 serve also as flamearresters. The crankcase fumes and blowby gases also will, when the fuelspray jet 32 is aspirating, pass upward through the port 58, through thepassages formed by baffles 97 and ports 97A into the chamber 60 of themanifold structure, and thence into the passage 62 of the fuel sprayjet.

It will thereby be seen that all of the crankcase fumes are exposed toadhesion surfaces for purification before being returned to the intakeof the engine cylinder for burning with the fuel-air charge. Also, gumsand residue which would otherwise form gummy deposits on working partsof the engine, are effectively trapped in the baffle assembly 70, whichcan be readily removed, cleaned, and/ or replaced.

The various baffles described above which have large adhesion surfacesintended to entrain the residues and also condensed fumes which areexpelled from the crankcase are preferably coated with any preferredadhesion improving material, such as a varnish, resin or the like,whereas various working parts of the air intake system such as thethrottle valve (not shown) and intake valves 26 are preferably coatedwith a material to which the solids and oils will not readily adhere,such as Teflon or the like.

Another modification of the invention is shown in FIGURES 8, 9 and 10,respectively similar in most respects to FIGURES 3, 4 and 7, but inwhich the annular inlet 54 at the throat of the venturi is replaced by atube 54A extending between the chamber 92 to a point close to one sideof the throttle valve 100 when same is moved toward its closed position.The effect of this structure is to decrease the suction applied to thecrankcase when the engine is idling, at which time manifold vacuum is ata relatively high value.

In the modification shown in FIGURES 11 and 12, the tube 54A has beenreplaced by a passage 54B extending through the housing into a boss 540provided on a cover plate member 30A secured to and closing an openingin a carburetor throttle body 30 adjacent one side of valve 100 whichwill, when moved towards the closed position, tend to close off theopening from the boss 54C. The plate member 30A is readily removable forcleaning.

The passage 54B connects with the interior of the crankcase structure 12in this embodiment through a passage 102 leading through the manifoldstructure 14 and a passage 104 in the crank case structure. A baffleassembly 106 having a threaded plug end 108 is adapted for insertion inthe passage 104 so as to be readily removed for cleaning. The bafileassembly 106 serves the same residueadhering function as the bafileassembly 70 of FIG- URE 4.

It will be seen in FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 that the throttle valve 100 hasa small orifice opening 108 which registers with the tube 54A or theopening in the boss 54C so that at least some ventilation of thecrankcase will occur even if the throttle valve 100 closes completely.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine having a crankcase, enginecylinders, and an air intake manifold connected with said cylinders, anantipollution device for said engine comprising:

(a) an air intake pipe containing a throttle valve openly connected withsaid manifold and having a venturi throat,

(b) structure having a first passage openly connecting said crankcasewith said air intake pipe at a point of reduced pressure comprising anopening whose area is varied by the positioning of said throttle valvedownstream of said throat to thereby draw crankcase fumes into saidpipe, and i (0) structure having a second passage openly connecting saidcrankcase with said air intake pipe at a point of relatively high airvelocity to thereby force air into said crankcase and purge saidcrankcase of blowby and other fumes while urging said fumes into saidintake manifold.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 and having means in said firstpassage to collect by adhesion the discharge from said crankcase.

3. The device as defined in claim 2 and comprising baffles disposed insaid first passage, said baffles having a coating of materialfacilitating the adhesion of residue from said fumes on said baflles.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 and in which said first passage hasbafl'les therein in part arranged to separate oil discharge fromcrankcase fumes and return said oil to said crankcase.

5. The device defined in claim 4 in which said bafiles in part form atortuous path for solid carrying crankcase fumes, and in which saidsolids are caused to settle, condense or adhere on said baffies.

6. The device as defined in claim 4 and in which said battles in partform a tortuous passage with a large surface area for adhesion thereonof gums, varnish forming resins, solid particles and residue carried inthe fumes.

7. The device as defined in claim 1, including a rocker box housing, apushrod housing openly connecting said rocker box housing with saidcrankcase, and means openly connecting said second passage with saidrocker box housing to purge said rocker box housing of fumes andventilate said crankcase.

8. The device as defined in claim 1 and in which said point of reducedpressure comprises an annular opening disposed slightly downstream ofsaid venturi throat.

9. In an internal combustion engine having a crankcase, enginecylinders, and an air intake manifold connected with said cylinders, andantipollution device for said engine comprising (a) an air intake pipecontaining a throttle openly connected with said manifold and having aventuri throat,

(b) means forcibly introducing atmospheric air into said crankcase,

(c) structure having a tubular passage connecting said crankcase withsaid air intake pipe at a point of reduced pressure formed by the edgeof said throttle and the wall of said intake pipe to thereby drawcrankcase fumes into said pipe, and

(d) bafile means in said passage disposed in the path of said fumes.

10. The device as defined in claim 9 and in which said baffle means atleast in part comprises structure forming a somewhat helical passageway.

11. The device as defined in claim 9 and in which said bafl'le means atleast in part comprises structure forming a passageway with large wallsurface area for adhesion thereon of gums, varnish forming resins, solidparticles and residue carried in the fumes.

12. A crankcase ventilation system for an internal cornbustion enginehaving a crankcase, engine cylinders, rocker box housings for valveoperating mechanism and openly communicating with the crankcase interiorthrough pushrod housings, including air reduction and fuel injectionmeans, an intake manifold, a venturi and a throttle valve downstreamthereof, said ventilation system characterized by:

(a) means inducting air under pressure into said crankcase interiordirectly and through said rocker box housing,

(b) means venting crankcase fumes into said air induction means at anarea of reduced pressure therein, and comprising an opening in said airinduction means at a point immeditaely above said throttle valve forcooperation therewith to vary the area of said opening by varying theposition of said throttle valve and thereby provide a metering means forsaid crankcase fumes.

13. The system as defined in claim 12 and further characterized by meansventing some crankcase fumes ito the spray jet of said fuel injectionmeans for aspiration thereof.

14. The system as defined in claim 12 and further characterized by meanscontrolling the reduced pressure acting to vent said crankcase fumesinto said air induction means.

15. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a crankcaseand an air intake manifold, a carburetor having an inlet port comprisinga venturi and a mixing chamber, a throttle disc within said mixingchamber downstream of said venturi, inlet means connecting said mixingchamber with said crankcase for conveying crankcase fumes into saidmixing chamber, said inlet means being adapted to cooperate with saidthrottle disc for varying the area of said inlet means by varying theposition of said throttle disc thereby metering said crankcase fumes inaccordance with the position of said throttle disc.

16. In the combination defined in claim 15, said inlet means comprisinga tube inserted through the wall of said mixing chamber in such positionas to be closable by said throttle disc in the maximum closing positionof said disc.

17. In the combination defined in claim 15, said throttle disc beingprovided with an aperture adapted to be in com munication with saidinlet means in the closed position of said throttle disc to allow forpassage of a minimum of crankcase fumes into said mixing chamber Whenthe throttle disc is in its maximum closing position.

18. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a crankcaseand an air intake manifold, a carburetor having an inlet port comprisinga venturi and a mixing chamber, a throttle disc within said mixingchamber downstream of said venturi, inlet means connecting said mixingchamber with said crankcase for conveying crankcase fumes into saidmixing chamber, said inlet means being adapted to cooperate with saidthrottle disc for metering said crankcase fumes in accordance with theposition of said throttle disc, said inlet means comprising a downwardlydirected inlet opening within a protrusion extending into said mixingchamber adapted to be closed by said throttle disc in one position ofsaid throttle disc and to be gradually opened in other positions of saidthrottle disc.

19. In the combination defined in claim 18, said inlet opening beingconnected to an internal passage within said intake manifold, and a tubein communication with said passage and with said crankcase.

20. The combination defined in claim 19 further characterized in thatsaid crankcase has an opening in communication with said tube providedwith bafiie means to separate oil discharge from said crankcase fumes.

21. In an internal combustion engine having a crankcase, a cylinderblock, a rocker box housing and an air intake manifold provided with athrottle valve, the improvement comprising, passage means connectingsaid crankcase with said air intake manifold adjacent said throttlevalve, said passage means comprising an air intake pipe associated withsaid air intake manifold having an opening whose area is varied by thepositioning of said throttle valve and connected to said crankcase, andmeans forcing air under pressure into said crankcase to purge fumes fromsaid crankcase into said air intake pipe through said opening ofthrottle-varied area.

22. The device as defined in claim 21 including as aspirated fuel sprayjet arranged for discharging fuel into said intake manifold, and meansopenly connecting said crankcase with said spray jet thereby to use airand fumes from said crankcase for aspirating said fuel jet.

23. The device as defined in claim 22 and in which said last mentionedmeans comprises structure having a plurality of narrow passages withlarge Wall surface area for adhesion thereon of materialcarried by saidcrankcase fumes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,735,694 11/ 192.9 Remington.

1,869,262 7/1932 Kennedy.

1,901,847 3/1933 Moore.

2,893,365 7/1959 Haefner 123119 2,906,252 9/ 1959 Beardsley.

3,059,628 10/ 1962 Linn.

3,232,284 1/ 1966 High.

3,280,808 10/1966 Mosher.

3,415,233 10/1968 Drysdale.

AL LAWRENCE SMITH, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 12341.86

